Multicolor printing ink and printing plate testing press



June 15, 1954 w. B. LEAVENS, JR 2,681,006

' MULTICOLOR PRINTING INK AND PRINTING PLATE TESTING PRESS Filed Jan. 19, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

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MULTICOLOR PRINTING INK AND PRINTING PLATE TESTING PRESS Filed Jan. 19, 1953 June 15, 1954 w. B. LEAVENS, JR

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. fI Zz'avzfiLemmgC/E,

W. B. LEAVENS, JR

June 15, 1954 MULTICOLOR PRINTING INK AND PRINTING PLATE TESTING PRESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 19, 1953 wzmz a a C G 1 a mwz c dcfi z c INVENTOR.

(S C/i3, BY M Patented June 15, 1954 UNIT!) STTS OFFICE MULTICOLOR PRINTING INK. AND PRINTING PLATE TESTKNG PRESS This invention relates to rotary printing presses, and, more particularly, to a multicolor rotary printing press which is especially designed for testing both print effects of' selected colored printing inks and combinations thereof, and the printing effects of printing plates of different selected kinds, preparatory tothe use of such inks and of such printing plates of the selected kind in the operation of a standard production press by which desired multicolor printing work is to be performed.

The invention has for an object to provide an ink and printing plate testing press by means of which color effects and combinations thereof produced by a plurality of inks of various selected colors, as printed by a selected kind of printing plate, may be tested, adjusted and thus predetermined for a multicolor printing operation, preparatory to carrying out-such operation upon a production press.

The invention has for another object to provide an ink and printing plate testing press of simple construction and relatively small size, by use of which a printed test pattern, produced by a plurality of inks of different selected colors, can be printed on a test stock sheet, by a selected kind of printing plate, whereby to demonstrate the color effects of both the individual inks and of over-printed inter-relationships thereof that may be encountered or desired to be obtained in tion of this invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: i

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of the multicolor printing ink and printing plate testing pressof this invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same, viewed from the right-in- Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View, taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 1, but drawn on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a printing cylinder of the testing press; and Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively longitudinalsectional views of other printing cylinders of the testing press.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic face view of a printed test sheet produced by operation of the testing press.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the herein-above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings; an illustrative embodiment of the testing press therein shown 3 Claims. (Q1. 101--175) comprises a pair of laterally spaced apart frame plates It and Il, which are secured to a base plate 82 in upstanding relation thereto. Extending between the upper end portions of the frame plates iii and H are suitably located spacing tie rods i3.

Journaled in and between the frame plates ill and H is an impression cylinder or bed' roll Hi, and also journaled in and between the frame plates It and H are a series of printing rolls, which are spaced around and in opposition to the periphery of said impression cylinder or bed roll.

The printing rolls may be varied in number to correspond to the number of different colored printing inks to be subjected totest. For the purpose of illustration, four such printing rolls are shown, but it will be understood that the press may be provided with more or less than this number of printing rolls. The respective printing rolls are adapted to carry printing plates for printing respective colors of ink desired to be tested, as will hereinafter be more particularly set forth. As shown, said printing rolls comprise a first printing roll A, a second printing roll B, a third printing roll C and a fourth printing roll D.

Suitably fixed in connection withone' end of the impression cylinder or bed roll M is a drive gear l5, and similarly affixed respectively to corresponding ends of the respective printing rolls A, B, C and D are gears I6 which mesh with said drive gear l5, whereby to drive said printing rolls from and in suitably timed relation to the movement of the impression cylinder or bed roll M.

Each printing roll is adapted to have mounted upon its periphery a plurality of printing plates of different selected materials respectively suited to produce printing impressions production of which the respective materials thereof are best adapted to efiect. For example, metallic printing plates are best adapted for some printing operations, whereas printing plates of rubber or other suitable plastic material are best adapted for other printing operations. In order to permit testing such diiferent kinds of printing plates, each printing roll is adapted to have mounted thereon, in. circumferentially spaced relation one to another, printing plates of selected respectively diiierent materials.

The impression cylinder or bed roll M is provided with a plurality of sets of gripper devices which are relatively spaced along the periphery thereof. One set of said gripper devices'is adapt ed to engage and hold a test stock sheet T and" an underlying make ready sheet M in such supported position upon the compression cylinder or bed roll as to be so carried by the latter as to subject the test stock sheet to reception of imprints produced by one kind of printing plate with which the respective printing rolls are provided. Other sets of said gripper devices are adapted to selectively engage and hold a test stock sheet T, with an underlying make-ready sheet M, in such diiferent supported positions upon the compression cylinder or bed roll as to be so carried thereby as to subject a test stock sheet to reception of imprints of selected other kinds of printing plates with which the printing rolls are provided.

The gripper devices, with which the impression cylinder or bed roll it is provided, may be of any suitable type known to the art. Preferably, however, each set of gripper devices comprises a suitable longitudinal supporting frame E! which is countersunk in the body of the impression cylinder or bed roll intermediate the ends of the latter. Extending through and supported by this frame i; is a shaft H! by which gripper members is are pivotally supported in such manner as to overhang the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder or bed roll adjacent its respective ends. Said gripper members are each provided with a tail piece 28 which is engaged by an underlying compression spring 21 disposed within the supporting frame l'i. Said compression springs exert yieldable upward thrust upon the tail pieces 26, thereby to tensionally urge the gripper members l9 toward the surface of the impression cylinder or bed roll, whereby to grip and hold a test stock sheet T, and underlying makeready sheet M, attached to the impression cylinder or bed roll, when interposed between the latter and said gripper members. The first printing roll A is provided with cam projections 22 adapted to engage and depress the tail pieces of the gripper members I9, whereby to raise the latter for reception of end portions of a test stock sheet T, and accompanying make-ready sheet M, desired to be mounted on the impression cylinder or body roll M subject to printing of said test stock sheet when the press is operated (see Fig. 3).

The diameters of the printing rolls are sized to possess a definite ratio to the diameter of the impression cylinder or bed roll according to the number of printing plates carried by said printing rolls, and the number of sets of gripper devices with which the impression cylinder or bed roll is provided will correspond to the number of printing plates carried by the printing rolls, and said sets of gripper devices will be relatively spaced circumferentially at distance corresponding to distance of circumferential spacing of the printing plates on the printing rolls.

By way of example, as shown, the printing rolls are each provided with two printing plates respectively mounted on diametrically opposite sides thereof, and, in such case, the diameters of the printing rolls are one-half that of the impression cylinder or bed roll, and said impression cylinder or bed roll is provided with two sets of gripper devices comprising a first set G and a second set G spaced 90 apart thereon. In such arrangement, the primary roll A is provided, for example, with a metallic printing plate 23 and a rubber printing plate 23 disposed to extend longitudinally thereof, that is parallel to the axis of this roll; the printing roll B is also provided with a metallic printing plate 24 and a rubber printing plate 24', likewise disposed to extend longitudinally thereof, that is parallel to the axis of said roll; the printing plate C is provided with a metallic printing plate 25 and a rubber printing plate 25' disposed to extend circumferentially thereof, that is transverse to the axis of the roll; and the printing plate D is likewise provided with a metallic printing plate 26 and a rubber printing plate 26' also disposed to extend circumferentially thereof, that is transverse to the roll axis.

The impression cylinder or bed roll M, and through it the printing rolls, can be driven by hand or by power, but is preferably power driven. An illustrative means for power driving the press, as shown, comprises an electric motor 21 as a power source, which is arranged to drive the impression cylinder or bed roll at desired speed through any suitable type of gear reduction transmission 28, the power output shaft 29 of which is suitably coupled in driving relation to the impression cylinder or bed roll M.

One revolution of the impression cylinder or bed roll l4 will carry a test stock sheet T mounted thereon through the press so as to receive imprints from the selected kind of printing plate, to be tested, with which the printing rolls are provided. In view of this, it is desirable, when the press is power driven, that it will automatically stop upon completion of one full revolution of the impression cylinder or bed roll. This may be accomplished in any suitable manner by appropriate control means. One such control means, as shown by way of example, comprises a one revolution clutch, the driven member 30 of which is connected with the impression cylinder or bed roll in driving relation thereto, and the driving member 3| of which is afiixed to and is driven by the power output shaft 29 of the gear reduction transmission 28. The driven member 30 of the clutch is provided with a clutch release lever 32 which is urged to normal clutch engaging position by a pull spring 33, but which can be moved, against the tension of said pull spring 33, by arresting abutment against a releasable clutch stop means, to clutch disengaging position. This clutch stop means comprises a pivoted stop arm 34 normally disposed to lie in the path of revolving movement of said clutch release lever 32, and which is yieldably urged to this position by spring means 35 by which its manipulatable lever arm 36 is engaged. Said lever arm 36 can be manually moved, against the tension of said spring means 35, so as to withdraw the stop arm 34 from clutch release lever restraining position, whereby to permit the latter to move to clutch engaging position, whereafter release of the lever arm 36 permits said stop arm 34 to return to normal position. When the clutch release lever 32 is freed, the clutch will close and drive the press, until said release lever, as carried around by the clutch rotation, again abuts the return stop arm 34, and is again moved to clutch disengaging position, so that the press is automatically stopped upon completion of one revolution of the impression cylinder or bed roll.

Mounted between the frame plates it and H, respectively above and so as to impinge upon the printing plates of the respective p g rolls, are inking rolls 31 by means of which inks of various selected colors are applied to said printing plates on the printing rolls. Vibrator or spreader rolls or other devices known to the art for distributing ink over the inking roll surfaces (not shown) maybe utilized for cooperation with said inking rolls 31'.

In the use of the press, the printing plates of the respective printing rolls are inked with a selected color of ink to be tested. For example, the printing plates 23. and 23 of printing roll A are inked with a one color a; the platesoi' printing roll B are inked with another color 29; the plates of printing roll C with ink of another color 0; and the plates of printing roll D with ink of still another color 01. Thus inks of four colors and combinations thereof can be test printed; but it will be understoodif test of less than four colors is desired to be made, only the number of printing rolls correspondim to the number of colors to be tested would be inked. If test of the colors as printed by metallic printing plates is desired to be made, the im ression cylinder or bed roll I l; and the printing rolls as driven thereby are adjusted to bring the first set G of the gripper devices to a starting posit tion, in which position the gripper devices are opened by cam projections 22 of the first printing roll A for reception of a test stock sheet T to be printed and its supporting make-ready sheet M. Such adjustment positions the print ing rolls so that only their metallic printing plates will, when the press is operated, produce their imprints upon the test stock sheet. On the other hand, if test of the colors as printed by rubber plates is desired to be made, the impression cylinder or bed roll 14 and the printing rolls as driven thereby are adjusted to bring the second set G of the gripper devices to a starting position, in which position the gripper devices are opened by cam projections 22- of the first printing roll A for reception of a test stock sheet T and its supporting make-ready sheet M. Such adjustment positions the printing rolls so that only their rubber printing plates will, when the press is operated, produce their imprints upon the test stock sheet. Upon operation of the press, as adjusted for selectively printing from either the metallic printing plates or the rubber print" ing plates, the impression cylinder or bed roll carries the stock test sheet T subject to successive printing contact by the selected printing plates of successive printing rolls.

During the operation of the press, the operative printing plate of the first printing roll A, by reason of the longitudinal disposition thereof on this roll, will produce a transverse or horizontal imprint of color a upon the test stock sheet; the operative printing plate of the second printing roll B, by reason of its like longitudinal disposition on this roll and by further reason of its circumferentially offset or staggered printing position relative to the printing position of the corresponding operative printing plate of said first printing roll A, will produce a transverse or horizontal imprint of color 2) upon the test stock sheet, which imprint overlaps and thus over prints in part upon the imprint of color a; the operative printing plate of the third printing roll C, by reason of its circumferentially extending disposition on this roll, will produce a longitudinal or vertical imprint of color 0 upon the test stock sheet which, in part, over prints upon the transverse or horizontal imprints of colors a and b; and, finally, the operative printing plate of the fourth printing roll D, by reason of its circumferentially extending disposition on this roll and by further reason of its laterally offset or staggered printing position relative to the printing position of the corresponding operative printing plate of the third printing roll C, will 6. produce a. longitudinal or vertical imprint of color d upon the test stock sheet, which, in part, both over prints the transverse or horizontal imprints of colors (2 and b and also the longitudinal or vertical imprint of color 0. Due to such successive printing by the printing rolls, a multicolor test chart pattern is imprinted upon the stock test sheet, such as shown in Fig. 7, wherein not only imprints of the single colors but composite or over printed imprints of two, three and four colors are. produced, as indicated by the color designating letters and combinations thereof applied to the imprint sections shown on said chart pattern of Fig. '7.

In the operation of the press, when one selectset of printing plates, e. g. the metal printing plates, are operative, the other set of printing plates, e. g. the rubber printing plates, will serve as ink tables to aid in distribution of ink to the inking rolls and thus to aid in maintaining an adequate deposit of ink on. the latter, and vice versa.

Some multicolor printin jobs are printed on a production press utilizing both metal printing plates for some colors and rubber or other plastic printing plates for other colors. If a test chart of colors, as time printed by both types of printing plates, is desired to be produced by means of the testing press of this invention, the printing rolls of the press may be selectively provided with the respective kinds of printin plates arranged to successively produce their imprints on the stock test sheet in desired sequence.

From the above description, it will now be apparent that my invention provides a very simple, efficient and easily used testin press by means or which single and multicolor effects of printing inks, as well as printing action of print in plates of different materials, can be quickly and easily subjected to test.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In an ink and printing plate testing press, a rotatable impression cylinder, a series of printing rolls spaced circumferentially about and in opposition to the periphery of the impression cylinder, gearing operative to drive said print" ing rolls from the impression cylinder, a plurality of circumferentially spaced printing plates of respective-ly different materials mounted on each printing roll, the diameters of each printing roll being sized to possess a definite ratio to the di ameter of the impression cylinder accordin to the number of printing plates carried by the printing roll, the printing plates of the printing rolls being of oblong shape and being adapted to be respectively inked with inks of respectively difierent colors, the printin plates of certain printing rolls being mounted thereon with their long dimensions parallel to the axis of the roll, the printing plates of other printing rolls being mounted thereon with their long dimensions transverse to the axis of the roll, the printing plates of successive printing rolls being so relatively disposed that an imprint produced by a printing plate of a succeeding roll will be overprinted in part to lap an imprint produced by the immediately preceding printing roll or rolls, whereby the material printed will furnish a test chart pattern containing both imprints of the single colors and over-printed composite imprints of all possible combinations of colors as produced by selected operative printing plates, and said impression cylinder having circumferentially spaced, selectively usable gripper devices correspondin in number to the number of different printing plates carried by the respective printin rolls, and operative to attach material to said impression cylinder accordingly as said material is to be printed by selected printing plates of the rolls desired to be operative during a given operation of the press.

2. In an ink and printing plate testing press, a rotatable impression cylinder including a one revolution controlling drive means therefor, a series of printing rolls spaced circumferentially about and in opposition to the periphery of the impression cylinder, gearin operative to drive said printing rolls from the impression cylinder, a plurality of circumferentially spaced printing plates of respectively diflerent materials mounted on each printing roll, the diameters of each printing roll being sized to possess a definite ratio to the diameter of the impression cylinder accord-- ing to the number of printin plates carried by the printing roll, the printing plates of the printing rolls being of oblong shape and being adapted to be respectively inked with inks of respectively dififerent colors, the printing plates of certain printing rolls being mounted thereon With their long dimensions parallel to the axis of the roll, the printing plates of other printin rolls being mounted thereon with their long dimensions transverse to the axis or" the roll, the printing plates of successive printing rolls being so relatively disposed that an imprint produced by a printing plate of a succeedin roll will be overprinted in part to lap an imprint produced by the immediately preceding printing roll or rolls, whereby the material printed will furnish a test chart pattern containing both imprints of the single colors and overprinted composite imprints of all possible combinations of colors as produced by selected operative printing plates, means co operative with each printing roll for inking the printing plates thereof, and said impression cylinder having circumferentially spaced selectively usable gripper devices corresponding in number to the number of different printin plates carried by the respective printing rolls, and operative to attach material to said impression cylinder accordingly as said material is to be printed by selected printing plates of the rolls desired to be operative during a given operation of the press.

3. In an ink testing printing press, a rotatable impression cylinder, a series of printing rolls spaced circumferentially about and in opposition to the periphery of the impression cylinder, gearing operative to drive said printing rolls from the impression cylinder, a plurality of circumferentially spaced printing plates mounted on each printing roll, whereby the series of printing rolls carry a plurality of sets of said printing plates, the diameter of each printing roll being sized to possess a definite ratio to the diameter of the impression cylinder according to the number of printing plates carried by the printing roll, the printing plates of each set thereof on the series of printing rolls being of oblong shape and being adapted to be respectively inked with inks to be tested of respectively different colors, the printing plates of certain printing rolls being mounted With their long dimensions parallel to the axis of the roll, the printing plates of other printing rolls being mounted thereon with their long dimensions transverse to the axis of the roll, the printing plates of respective sets thereof carried by successive printing rolls being so relatively disposed that an imprint produced by a printing plate of a succeeding roll will be overprinted in part to lap an imprint produced by the immediately preceding printing roll or rolls, whereby the material printed will furnish a test chart pattern containing both imprints of the single colors and overprinted composite imprints of all possible combinations of colors as produced by a selected set of operative printing plates, and said impression cylinder having circum erentially spaced, selectively usable gripper devices corresponding in number to the number of sets of printing plates carried by the printing rolls, and operative to attach material to said impression cylinder accordingly as said material is to be printed by a selectively inked set of printing plates on the rolls desired to be operative during a given operation of the press.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 517,907 Wendte Apr. 10, 1894 709,409 Schmidt et a1 Sept. 2, 1902 721,905 Mowbray Mar. 3, 1903 2,603,154 Davidson July 15, 1952 

